Becherovka Original

Becherovka is an herbal liqueur from the Czech Republic. It's often drunk neat as a digestif, but I think it could have some uses in cocktails. Sadly, you probably won't find many recipes that call for it, but you can certainly use this as an alternative to other herbal liqueurs, such as Yellow Chartreuse (although I prefer Yellow over this). The nose immediately hits you with menthol and allspice. The palate is pretty sweet with some cinnamon and gentian. The heat hits you on the finish, along with the bitterness. Neither of which is that bad though. I didn't find this too complex; it's solid enough, but I think where this excels is in cocktails. Again though, you won't find many out there (difford's guide has a few, so I would start there). The one drink that I really enjoyed was Becherovka with tonic water (2oz of Becherovka to 4oz Tonic, which I've heard called a Beton). The cost isn't that bad for this, but the lack of uses may make it a tough sell for most people. If you enjoy herbal liqueurs neat, then this may be a nice addition to your collection, but I have a feeling for most this will be a pass.

You step into your mountain cabin and the cool air bites your lungs. You put on a thick jacket of leather and flannel that smells of burning wood. As you walk through the snow searching for that ideal holiday pine tree, you hear deer moving through the snow in the distance. You find the perfect tree, and with every swing of the axe, the scent of winter and pine sap fills your nose. With the tree in tow, you head back to your warm, blazing fire as large snowflakes begin to fall. You breathe in deeply, taking in the cold, crisp quiet that accompanies winter in the forest. It tastes like that.

A powerful, botanical spirit (among the most ancient digestifs) originating from Carlsbad, Czech Republic. It's crafted using over 20 meticulously chosen botanicals & aromatics globally, adhering to a confidential formula & a distinct steeping method. It greets you with a fragrant beginning, revealing hints of steeped botanicals & spices; its robust middle introduces tastes of cinnamon, star anise, peppermint & rich honey; concluding with a lengthy & zesty finish. May 2020 / August 2021

Evokes Christmas with strong clove and Akvavit fennel notes. The finish is noticeably bitter. I'm eager to sample this when the weather turns cold.

While not a big fan of liqueurs, I find this one to be good. It begins sweet on the palate but quickly introduces bitter notes from the various herbs. The bitter aftertaste lingers pleasantly.

On the nose, it presents scents of pear and elderberry, but with a faint undertone of bug repellent. On the palate, there's a strong clover flavor with a cinnamon aftertaste.